Prestige-contactless smartcard ticketing on London Transport

This paper describes London Transport´s Harrow Bus Smartcard Trial and the development of a challenging new project called “Prestige” (Procurement of Revenue Services) which has been initiated by London Transport to progress the procurement of a new revenue collection service for London´s buses and Underground. The Harrow Trial has demonstrated that contactless smartcard technology is a feasible system for public transport ticketing and consultation with industry has not identified a convincing alternative. The business case for a new revenue collection system covering London´s bus and Underground network has been agreed and procurement of the Prestige system is progressing in accordance with European Community procedures